Rabbi Loel Weiss of Randolph’s Temple Beth Am to retire

Rabbi Loel Weiss has been siritual leader for 29 years at Temple Beth Am. He said the synagogue will hire an interim rabbi this spring. Interviews for that position have begun.

By Lane Lambert

The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, MA

By Lane Lambert

Posted Feb. 23, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Feb 23, 2013 at 11:10 PM

By Lane Lambert

Posted Feb. 23, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Feb 23, 2013 at 11:10 PM

RANDOLPH

» Social News

Temple Beth Am will be losing its longtime spiritual leader

Saying it is time to step aside, Rabbi Loel Weiss is retiring after 29 years at Temple Beth Am in Randolph. “It’s the right time for me,” Rabbi Weiss said Friday. At 63, he’s the second-longest-serving South Shore rabbi, after Rabbi Laurence Silverman at Congregation Beth Jacob in Plymouth. He will officially retire in early June.

Rabbi Weiss said he and his wife, a retired teacher, want to visit their children and grandchildren in Israel, Las Vegas and Maryland while they are still young enough and healthy enough to enjoy it.

He said the synagogue will hire an interim rabbi this spring. Interviews for that position have begun.

Rabbi Weiss’ retirement comes as the Randolph temple has begun discussing a merger with two others, the Ahavath Torah Congregation in Stoughton and Temple Beth Emunah in Brockton. But Rabbi Weiss said that development played no part in his retirement decision.

Cohne said it is a testament to Rabbi Weiss that half of Temple Beth Am’s active members live outside Randolph but still worship there.

“They travel past other synagogues on the way, and that’s because of Rabbi Weiss,” he said.

The Brooklyn native and former Navy chaplain came to Temple Beth Am in 1984. A farewell dinner will be held for him June 2 at the synagogue. He and his wife will move to Rhode Island.

Longtime synagogue members have said Rabbi Weiss knit back together divided congregation factions – among other things, reviving Torah study. He also brought Shabbat worship into the 21st century, giving his blessing to limited use of musical instruments, a practice historically not followed by Conservative and Orthodox Judaism.

Town officials say Rabbi Weiss earned respect early on as a moderate, calming voice in the community.

He has also influenced Conservative Jewish faith at large. As a member of the Rabbinical Assembly’s Jewish Law and Standards Committee, he helped shape contemporary interpretations of law and scripture that are consulted worldwide.

In retirement, Rabbi Weiss plans to write, teach and study – “after a few months of vacation.”